Method of and means for enabling brakes to be applied to or retracted from either side of railway-vehicles.



7 PATENTED JULY 26, 1904. F. W. GASMIER. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ENABLING BRAKES TO BE APPLIED OR RETRAGTED FROM EITHER SIDE OF RAILWAY VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 2s, 1903.

a SHEETSSHEET 1/ N0 MODEL.

W ALJ' FIFHEH PAT ENTED JULY 26, 1904.

F. W. GASMIER, METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ENABLING BRAKES TO BE APPLIED OR RETRAGTED FROM EITHER SIDE OI RAILWAY VEHIGLES.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 23, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

No. 766,032. PATENTBD JULY 26, 1904.

I E. W. GASMIER. METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ENABLING BRAKES TO BE APPLIED 0R RETRAGTED FROM EITHER SIDE OF RAILWAY VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES. /N VE N TOR WM I fi cierz'ckyawnier xxx.

UNITED STATES Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BOWMAN CONTINUOUS AUTOMATIC BRAKE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF PETERSBURG, SOUTH AUSTRALIA,

AUSTRALIA.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ENABLING BRAKES TO BE APPLIED TO OR RETRACTED FROM EITHER SIDE OF RAILWAYNEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,032, dated July 26, 1904.

Application filed November 23, 1903. Serial No. 182,326. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK IVILLIAM GASMIER, engine-driver, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 2 Victoria street, Petersburg, in the State of South Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Method of and Means for Enabling a .Brake to be Applied or Retracted from Either Side of a Railway-Vehicle, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved method of and means for the application or retraction o1 independent or hand brakes from either side of a railway-vehicle, the especial object being to enable the application or retraction of the brakes to be accomplished without any risk by a person walking along on either side of the train.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a vehicle-body with my invention fitted thereto. Fig. 2 is a view of the end of same. Fig. 3 is a perspective end view of the devices for retaining and releasing the brake-levers. Fig. 4: is a similar View showing the weighted lever on the rockshaft.

The frame of the vehicle may be of any of the usual forms of construction, and brakeshoes may be fitted to any number of the wheels, as desired, the brake-shoes being connected to a rockable transverse brake-shaft A, all connected and supported in the usual manner.

In carrying out this invention each end of the rockable brake-shaft A is provided with a brake-lever B, rigidly secured thereto. The free ends of the brake-levers B B are inclosed and move up and down within-guides C O, which are fitted with movable catches D D, upon which the levers B B rest when the brakes are not in operation. The movable catches D D project across the guideways except when they are withdrawn and held back, as hereinafter described. The movable catches D D are made of spring-steel, secured at their bottom ends to the guides O C and have their upper ends extended inward through openings in the guides. The projecting ends of the spring-catches are connected by means of rods E E to short arms projecting from a rock-shaft F, hung in supports from the vehicle-frame. Upon the end of the rock-shaft F are short arms carrying in their ends pins H H, which engage the inner ends of drawrods K K, the draw-rods being supported near their outer ends by guides M M. The inner ends of the draw-rods are of slot form, so that the rock-shaft F may be rocked by either of the draw-rods K K without moving the other; but this is not a necessary feature of the invention.

The catches D D instead of being springcatches may be hinged or loosely connected at their lower ends to the foot of the guides, in which case the rock-shaft F is provided with a weighted arm f, which returns the catches to their normal position after being withdrawn by the draw-rods K K.

The operation of the invention is as follows: When it is desired to apply the brakes, the rock-shaft F is operated by either of the drawrods K K, thereby, through the connectingrods E E,withdrawing the spring-catches D D and allowing the brake-leversB'B to fall and apply the brakes. When it is desired to retract the brakes, this is accomplished by lifting either of the brake-levers B B. The raising of the one brake-lever carries the other with it, since they both are rigidly attached to the rockable brake-shaft A, and the levers are raised until they rest upon their respective catches.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the natureof my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is 1. In a brake mechanism for 'ail\vayvehicles the combination with a brake-lever, of a movable catch to support the brake-lever, a rock-shaft connected to the movable catch, and draw-rods for operating such rock-shaft from either side of the vehicle, substantially as described.

2. In a brake mechanism for railway-vehicles, the combination with a brake-lever, of a movable catch to support the brake-lever, a rock-shaft supported from the vehicle-frame and connected to the movable catch, and provided With draw-rods whereby it may be operated from either side of the vehicle, substantially as described.

3. In a brake mechanism for .rail\vayvehi cles, the combination With a rockable brakeshaft, of two brake-levers,t\vo movable catches to support the brake-levers, a rock-shaft supported from the vehicle-frame and connected to the movable catches, and provided with drav-rods whereby it may be operated from either side of the vehicle, substantially as described.

&. In a brake mechanism for vehicles, the combination With a brake-"lever, of a catch for supporting said lever, and means extending to opposite sides of the vehicle for moving the catch to release the lever.

5. In a brake mechanism for vehicles, the combination with a plurality of brake-levers, of a catch for supporting each lever, and means for simultaneously moving the catches to release the levers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses, this 5th day of October, 1903.

FREDERICK WILLIAM GASMIER.

\Vitnesses:

(JrUY WoRTHINGToN HALooMBE, Bonnier \VALTER GoNDrr. 

